1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automotive alternator mounted to an automotive vehicle such as a passenger car or a truck, for example, and particularly to a stator winding of a stator therefor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, automotive alternators are known that include a rotor in which north-seeking (N) and south-seeking (S) poles are formed alternately in a direction of rotation; and a stator having a stator core surrounding the rotor, and a stator winding mounted in a plurality of slots formed so as to extend in an axial direction of the stator core at a distance from each other in a circumferential direction, wherein the stator winding is constructed such that a plurality of conductor segments are connected to each other, the conductor segments being formed into a general U shape composed of a pair of straight portions housed inside the slots, a linking portion linking these straight portions to each other, and joining portions disposed on tip portions of the straight portions and projecting outward from a first end surface of the stator core; and in the linking portions, which constitute a coil end of the stator winding, linking portions of first conductor segments cover linking portions of second conductor segments. (See Patent Literature 1, for example.)
Patent Literature 1
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-231203 (Gazette: FIG. 2 to FIG. 6)
In such cases, because linking portions of first conductor segments cover linking portions of second conductor segments, one problem is that the covering linking portions constrict radial cooling passages in the coil ends, increasing resistance to a cooling airflow, and making cooling efficiency in the stator winding poor.